Survival
by ImnIslandGirl
Summary: The Team wakes up on an unfamiliar island with no food, water, supplies, weapons, or means to contact the League. Surviving a plane crash is hard enough, but when the Team find themselves hunted by the Island's other inhabitants, we'll find out just how far our heroes are willing to go to protect each other. Takes place a few weeks after Auld Acquaintances.
1. The Aftermath - Robin

Richard Grayson – AKA Robin – January 21st, 2010 – 2:32pm

It wasn't the first time Dick Grayson had woken up in pain. Being the ward of a billionaire as well as the Boy Wonder, Dick had a nasty habit of finding himself in dangerous situations. Although, typically he would wake up either in the hospital or the Batcave… not in a pile of metal and ash, surrounded by the red blaze of fire and the sticky ooze of blood. As far as he could tell, he hadn't broken any bones, but the sting of open air called attention to the various scrapes and cuts that littered his skin. The sharp tear across his abs told Dick he wasn't protected by his Kevlar – whatever happened, it must have been Dick Grayson as the target, not Robin.

The young teen groaned in pain and forced his eyes open, only to find himself in total darkness. He reached a clumsy hand to his face and felt the familiar frames of his shades in place. His earlier assumption had been wrong; he wasn't Dick Grayson… he was here with his team. The thought brought a new sense of urgency to the young teen and Dick pushed himself up to his knees and looked around. His head was pounding and his eyes stung from the swirls of smoke that filled the air. Scraps of metal littered the dirt and the violent blaze of several small fires surrounded what appeared to be the mangled remnants of the Bioship. The violent scene only added to the fear growing within the Boy Wonder. He opened his mouth to call for his team, but managed only a weak, scratching whisper from his parched throat, before a fit of coughs rendered him silent.

 _"M'gann? Miss Martian, are you there?"_ The psychic link was down. It was hardly a surprise with the draining heat of the flames and the obvious trauma of the crash, but still no less of a concern. Either M'gann was unconscious, out of reach, or…

 **"No!"** Dick hissed aloud refusing to believe the alternative. If he survived, then his team must have survived to! They all had superpowers, aside from Artemis and she was more than capable of taking care of herself. They would be fine. _They would be fine_.

A heavy thud shook the ground behind him and Dick suddenly felt himself being pulled to his feet by a set of strong yet shaky Kryptonian hands. Dick's eyes followed the soot-covered arms up to Conner's singed and torn Superman shirt, and finally came to rest on the clone's ghostly pale skin and wide, frightened eyes.

 **"Robin! I almost didn't hear you! Are you ok? You're... you're bleeding…"** Conner's hands left Dick's arms and hovered uncertainly over the seeping scratches that covered the younger hero's body. He looked visibly shaken, which was something Dick was not accustomed to. It took a lot to scare someone who was virtually indestructible.

 **"I'm fine."** Dick scratched out, triggering another coughing fit. By the time he was able to catch his breath and clear the searing smoke from his lungs, Dick's chest was aching from the effort, but at least his voice was a little clearer. Conner stood there helplessly, looking as if he'd never felt so useless in his life.

 **"I'm fine, Conner, really. The others… have you found them yet? Are they ok?"** Dick was far too concerned about the rest of the team to worry about his own minor injuries. Atlantians and Martians were vulnerable to the heat, Artemis had no abilities to protect her from the crash, and Wally would be just as fragile if he hadn't eaten recently. Dick's previous optimism was struggling under the weight of his concerns. He needed to find his friends now! He needed to be sure they were alive!

 **"Kaldur's in rough shape and M'gann was still unconscious when I left her. They're down by the beech, as far from the fire as I could get them. Kaldur's trying to contact the League but so far, no luck."** Conner reported, knowing Robin's next question even before the younger boy opened his mouth.

" **Still no sign of Wally or Artemis, but I'm still looking. I'll take you to the beach, then come back and…"**

 **"I'm not going anywhere Conner. Not until we find them."** Dick's stated in an inarguable tone that made Conner bite back any of his objections. The clone waited long enough to ensure Dick was steady on his feet before returning to the heaps of rubble in search of their missing teammates. Compared to the fire-resistant Kryptonian with super hearing and x-ray vision, there wasn't a lot Dick Grayson could do to help, but he couldn't bring himself to leave knowing that two of his best friends were somewhere among the shattered remains of the Bioship.

Agonizing minutes crept by as the two dark-haired teens sifted through the burning heaps of metal that surrounded the crumpled skeleton of the Bioship. The pain and exhaustion from the crash were weighing heavily on Robin's shoulder, but his sheer determination and personal drive kept him focused on the task at hand, all the while repeating phrases in his mind like a mantra:

 _They're both fine. They're both alright. Wally is alive. Artemis is alive. They're both fine. They're both alright…_

What seemed like hours later – in reality, a mere 20 minutes of so – Conner's head snapped up from his pile of rubble, drawing his eyes to the decimated frame of the Bioship that sat in the center of the ring of scattered metal. Dick could see the flash of hope in the clone's eyes as he covered the distance in one great leap, landing near the crumpled frame. He tore a huge strip from the ships' side and tossed it behind him like trash. As soon as the hull was ripped open, the muted cries from within were finally able to escape into the open air. The sound made Dick's blood run cold and pushed his feet as fast as they could move in the direction of the screams.

 **"Wally! Wake up! Wally! Somebody! Someone help us! Wally!"** The voice, hoarse from the smoke and the constant screaming, carried with it the worst of Dick's fears. Artemis and Wally were _inside_ the hull! They were trapped within that twisted, contorted, burning hunk of metal and Wally wasn't waking up!

By the time Dick reached the Bioship, Conner had dug his way through to Artemis. She was trapped within what used to be the cockpit of the Bioship, now just a mangled mess that had caved in on top of her. A flare of red hair and soot-covered, freckled skin was beside her. It looked like Wally had tried to shield Artemis from the crash, taking the brunt of the damage himself. The blood dripped down from his scalp, mixing with the blackened ash on his face and making the Speedster hardly recognizable beneath the grime.

 **"Conner! Robin! Thank god! You got to help him! He's not waking up!"** Artemis called wearily to her team. One uneasy glance between Dick and Conner proved it wasn't that simple. The frame of the Bioship was unstable. Even with Conner lifting the rubble up enough for Dick to pull them out, shifting either Artemis or Wally would cause a cave in that would bury whoever was left behind!

" **We'll just have to be fast."** Dick stated, trying to sound more confident than he felt.

" **We can't… it's too much of a risk."** Conner argued back, his eyes still just as wide and fearful as they were when he found Robin.

 **"If we leave them in there, we'll lose both of them!"** Dick argued back, cringing at the harsh truth behind his words. Conner heard it too… _We'll lose both of them…_ as opposed to now, where we would be lucky to only lose one.

 **"Wait!"** The voice cut through the smoke and dread, giving the heroes that sliver of hope they were so desperate for. With weary, sluggish movements, Kaldur'ahm staggered towards the Bioship, supporting an equally frail-looking M'gann. Neither were in any condition to help, especially when their friends were trapped in the center of a mangles mess of metal and flame, but neither hero seemed willing to let that deter them.

 **"Superboy and I can hold the frame away from Kid Flash and Artemis. Miss Martian can stabilize the rubble as much as possible. Artemis, as soon as you are free you must help Robin drag Kid Flash away from the Bioship. Work quickly; I am not certain how long Miss Martian and myself will be able to keep our strength."** Kaldur admitted, proposing the only plan that had a chance of each of them getting out of this alive. Dick, Conner, and Artemis were quick to agree, knowing that the small chance of saving Wally's life was worth the risk the rest of them would be taking.

With the two super-strengthed heroes at either side of the Bioship's mangled frame, M'gann using the last of her telekinetic strength to stabilize the hull, and Dick crawling in as close to his trapped teammates as he could get, the team commenced their rescue. Dick grabbed Artemis' arm and braced himself against the hull, weighting for Aqualad's signal before pulling with all his strength until the blonde was pulled free from the wreckage. With their teammates straining from the weight of the rubble, both Artemis and Dick grabbed one of Wally's arms and pulled, only to hear an agonizing shriek rip through the unconscious speedster's lips.

 **"He's stuck! His left leg is pinned between two of the ship's support beams!"** Dick called out, able to see the twisted mess of blood, flesh, and metal.

 **"M'gann, can't you talk to the ship? Get it to release Wally?"** Artemis pleaded in desperation as both the Martian and Altantian were losing their stamina.

 **"B-bioship is unr-responsive! And I c-can't move it m-myself without dropping th-this whole thing on t-top of him!"** M'gann strained under the effort of stabilizing the wreckage.

 **"We can't hold on much longer. Robin… Do it."** Kaldur ordered, sharing a hard glance with Dick as the younger hero crawled back into the hull beside his best friend.

 **"Sorry Walls…"** Dick muttered sincerely before grabbing the Speedster's trapped leg. With a sharp twist, the unconscious Speedster released an inhuman cry of pain. His knee dislocated with a sickly snap, and Dick was able to contort the limb around the beams, freeing the redhead from the wreckage. With Wally's leg free, Dick and Artemis were able to pull him out of the hull and away from the bioship in time for the other, exhausted members of the team to drop their burdens and retreat.

Dick was instantly at Wally's side, checking his vitals and looking over his condition. The Speedster had a deep gash along his scalp, his wrist was swollen – likely sprained – and his back was shredded from the hull caving in, not to mention the 1st and 2nd degree burns that littered his exposed skin. He needed food, rest, and somewhere safe to recover far away from here.

 **"Conner, get him to the beach and straighten his leg as much as possible. He's not going to like it, but trust me, it'll hurt him a lot more if it doesn't heal properly. We'll meet you there."** Dick advised, trusting the Speedster in Conner's hands. The Kryptonian didn't like the idea of leaving the group behind, but he didn't argue. That fear was still alight in his eyes and Dick realized this was probably the first time Conner realized how fragile the rest of them were in comparison to him.

 **"We'll take care of our injuries first, then we'll figure out where we are and how we can contact the League."** He suggested, pulling Artemis's arm over his shoulder so he could support her on the walk to the beach. Though her injuries were nothing compared to Wally's, Artemis certainly hadn't escaped the hull unscathed. Kaldur and M'gann followed close behind, leaving the remnants of the ship to burn themselves out.

 **"I was not able to get a signal from our coms. It appears something is blocking our transmissions."**

 **"Whatever it is, it's blocking all incoming and outgoing signals. That's why we crashed. As soon as we flew over this island, the Bioship stopped responding to my commands. She just… fell."** M'gann admitted, no doubt feeling that all of this was her fault.

 **"We'll worry about that later. Right now, our priority is making sure everyone's alright."** Dick stated, trying to push the troubling thoughts about their situation out of his mind with little success. Almost every member of their team was injured or weak, their link to the League was blocked, and their only form of transportation was lying in ruin in the middle of an unfamiliar island. No one knew where they were or how to find them; they had no food, fresh water, shelter, or supplies. There was only one thing that could distract Dick from how utterly hopeless their situation seemed: the shattering scream that cried out from the beach. All four heroes stopped dead in their tracks, sharing a look of horror before sprinting towards the sound of the cry, with one name on their minds:

 **"Wally!"**


	2. Wounded - Artemis

Artemis Crock – AKA Artemis – January 21st, 2010 – 3:12 pm

The gulls were crying overhead, still startled by the steady curls of smoke and the thundering roar of the blaze from the crash site, but Artemis barely recognized the sound. Even the cries of concern and fear from her teammates were muted by the screams of pain that sounded from the beach. Artemis pulled away from Robin's support and ran towards the sound, stumbling as the loose sand shifted beneath her feet. By the time she reached the injured Speedster, Artemis practically fell at Wally's side. Her muscles ached in protest of her hurried pace, but the archer's mind was far too concerned about her fallen teammate to even register the pain.

Connor had carried Wally to the beach and laid his black, Superman t-shirt on the ground to keep the sand away from the shredded skin on the Speedster's back. It looked like he tried to straighten Wally's leg as Robin told him to, but the sheer pain of that shifting motion woke the redhead with an agonized scream. Wally's emerald eyes stared wide and unseeing, evidence that although he was awake, he was certainly not coherent of his surroundings.

 **"Shh, Wally. You're ok. We're here; you're going to be fine."** The Archer whispered as soothingly as she could with her hoarse, shaky voice. She placed a gently hand on his burned cheek and used her other to brush the blood-matted hair from his forehead. Artemis suppressed a pained sob as she watched the Speedster's wide, fearful eyes stare right through her as if he didn't even know she was there.

 **"Robin, how is he?"** Kaldur's voice finally ripped Artemis' attention away from the Speedster's face, towards the youngest member of their team. Robin was kneeling by Wally's injured leg, making sure the bones were correctly set and there was no further strain on the dislocated knee. The young ebony took his time to answer and Artemis knew he was desperately trying to control his tone, but that crease in his brow betrayed just how worried he was about his best friend.

 **"There's no permanent damage to the leg, as far as I can tell, but he's in a lot of pain. His head is much more of a concern. It looks like a Grade Three Concussion to me."**

 **"Will he be alright?"** Connor asked timidly, his hands hovering over the Speedster's injured leg as if he was afraid to touch him. Even as M'gann knelt at his side and wrapped her comforting arms around him, it seemed to do little to lessen the blow of Robin's uncertain answer.

 **"He's not healing as fast as he should be… the concussion, the dislocated knee, the cuts and burns from the crash, that will all take time, but the minor bruises should be fading by now with Wally's accelerated healing."** Robin admitted, provoking shared looks of worry and concern amidst the group.

 **"Maybe he's hungry? Wally needs food to heal, right?"** M'gann suggested, and Artemis couldn't blame her for looking for an explanation that they could easily fix. The thought of being trapped out here with no way to contact the league and no way to leave the island was troubling enough without the fear of their friend's life on their minds.

 **"Yeah, but he shouldn't be _this_ starved." ** That set off all the alarms in Artemis' mind. A guilty pit grew in her stomach and she suddenly found it very difficult to swallow.

 **"Unless he didn't eat this morning…"** The archer added softly, though not enough to escape the attention of the team. The guilt that burdened her words was more than evident and caused the youngest of her friends to narrow his eyes accusingly.

 **"What happened Artemis?"**

* * *

Artemis Crock – AKA Artemis – January 20th, 2010 – 9:03pm

Artemis was just folding the last of her clothes into the suitcase that lay on the bed of her hotel room. This vacation had been great, for the most part. It had certainly given the Team the break they needed from their mentors. Artemis had to admit that she hadn't suffered nearly as much as the others. While it hurt to have Green Arrow shooting at her that night at the Watchtower, he had only been her mentor for a few months. Most of the Team was forced to fight the heroes that had been at their side for years and in most cases, the mentors were actually family to the young protégés. Of course, none had it worse than Robin. Despite being the youngest, Robin had been in at Batman's side for the longest out of all of the protégés, and regardless of the rumours that Batman and Robin weren't related, Artemis couldn't help getting a father-son vibe from the two Gotham Vigilantes. Robin had taken over a week to recover from the damage Batman had dealt him, and even now Artemis hadn't seen the Dark Knight look at his protégé with anything less than guilt and self-loathing. She understood completely. It was the worst pain in the world to know you put someone you love in harm's way. That's what started this whole mess with Wally…

*Knoockknockknockknockknock* 

The rapid pounding at her door couldn't only belong to one person. Artemis gave a heavy sigh, as her hopes for a peaceful final night were shattered. She had been avoiding Wally all week, despite his valiant efforts to confront her, but now it appears her luck finally ran out. Wally was nothing if not persistent. Artemis took a deep breath, stealing herself for the unpleasant discussion ahead. She knew as soon as she opened that door, Wally wouldn't leave without an explanation. Unfortunately, it wasn't one he would be happy to hear.

 _It's ok. Just keep it short and simple. Remember, you're doing this for him._ She told herself as she reached for the bolt on the hotel-room door.

Just as predicted, the instant Artemis opened the door, a gust blew past and before she could turn around, Wally was standing in the middle of her hotel room with his arms crossed in front of his chest and an anxious expression on his face.

 **"Wally, I'm tired. We're leaving early tomorrow, can't this wait until…"**

 **"Until we're on the Bioship? So you can chit-chat with M'gaan the whole trip and avoid the issue like you did on the flight over here?"** Artemis cringed at the accusation, not used to dealing with such bitterness from Wally, even if it was deserved. She couldn't even bare to meet his eyes, afraid of what those emerald orbs might hold. By the time she had gained enough nerve to raise her gaze, any anger or blame in Wally's expression had given way to the apologetic, longing she'd become familiar with these past few weeks. _Damnit Wally! Why do you have to make this so difficult!_

 **"I'm sorry Babe, I didn't mean… It's just… Artemis please! Please just talk to me! Look, whatever I did, I'm sorry!"** Wally apologized after stumbling over his own excuses. It was easy to see how desperate he was to fix things between them, but Artemis couldn't take that chance. The Speedster stepped forward, closing the distance between them and gently placed his hands on her shoulders, allowing all the pain and desperation to shine in his vibrant green eyes.

 **"Artemis, I miss you. I want to be with you."** That was Artemis' breaking point. She knew she wasn't strong enough to keep avoiding Wally if he was going to act like this. But if she didn't convince him to keep his distance, he was going to get hurt! Just last week, Roy Harper was found stumbling into the Mountain bloody, beaten, and barely alive after her father found out Jade was interested in him. Of course, the Team didn't know the motives behind the attack but Artemis knew, even before Jade showed up on her doorstep with a warning from their father: This is what happens to heroes who think they're good enough for Sportsmaster's Daughters. Artemis couldn't let him do the same to Wally! But the only way to protect him was to keep her distance, and the only way to maintain that distance was to be cruel.

 **"Well, maybe I _don't_ want to be with _you_! Jeez, Baywatch, you just can't take a hint, can you? I'm _not_ your girlfriend! I'm _not_ your Babe! And I _don't_ want you following me around like some lost puppy! Leave. Me. Alone!"** Artemis shouted back, knowing every word was a lie. She missed him. She cared about him. Hell, she might even love the guy – though she'd never admit it – and the last thing she ever wanted to do was hurt him. She had hoped it would never come to this, but Wally was so damn persistent! The only way to protect him now was to shatter any hope he had of winning her back.

 **"But… New Years Eve… the kiss…"** Artemis could feel the ache in her chest at the broken tone of Wally's voice, but she couldn't back down now. She was doing this for his own good. He'd understand that one day… wouldn't he?

 **"It didn't mean anything Wally."** Artemis retorted bluntly, not trusting her own voice to give any more of an explanation than that. It was an empty victory to see the fight leave Wally's eyes. His entire posture sagged with defeat and his gaze dropped to the floor. The silence that stretched between them was agony for the archer, but nothing was as painful as seeing Wally turn on his heels and walk out of the room with slow, sullen steps, she didn't know the Speedster was even capable of.

Wally paused at the door, muttering something beneath his breath before he disappeared into the hall. Artemis didn't know how long she stood there, numbly staring at the closed hotel door, before she finally dragged her feet towards the bed and sobbed herself into a restless sleep, dreaming of nothing but those last four words that left the Speedster's lips:

 **"It did to me…"**

* * *

Artemis Crock – AKA Artemis – January 21st, 2010 – 3:27pm

 **"So you crushed him. You broke his heart and left him so miserable…"**

 **"Robin…"**

 **"…that he starved himself all day, and now he doesn't have enough energy…"**

 **"Robin!"**

 **"…to heal himself after his almost died to save your life!"**

 **"ROBIN! That is enough!"**

By the time Kaldur's raised voice broke through the ebony's rants, the entire team was staring in shock and Artemis was struggling to keep the tears from rolling down her cheeks. Robin was always so calm and composed, so…traught… it was terrifying to see him with such lack of restraint. That only proved how bad the situation was with Wally. If he truly had been too upset to eat all day before the crash, his Speedster's metabolism would be starving him by now! Wally would barely have enough energy to run, never mind to heal! _Oh Wally… what have I done?_

 **"Whatever happened between Kid Flash and Artemis is none of our concern. Our first priority is to ensure our friend can recover. Once Kid Flash has been treated, we will focus our efforts on escaping this island and getting everyone home safely. Is that understood?"** Kaldur's calm authority seemed to pacify the team for the moment. No one dared to speak. If Artemis was bold enough to glance up at her team, she would have seen the nodding heads and silent agreement to Kaldur's request, but for now, her stormy, grey eyes were fixed on the wide, fearful emerald orbs of the Speedster that stared blindly up at the sky.

 **"Good. Kid needs food in order to heal. Miss Martian you will search the island for something to eat. Superboy, you will return to the crash site and see if any of our supplies can be salvaged. I will look inland for a source of fresh water. Robin, Artemis, you will stay here with Kid Flash. Make sure your own injuries are attended to as well."** Kaldur ordered. He and M'gann had recovered slightly, now that they were far from the draining heat of the flames, and Conner was desperate to help in any way he could, making those three the best candidates to explore the island. Of course, that left Artemis and Robin sitting in awkward silence, watching as Wally's agonizing screams began to fade into groans and gasps of pain.

Robin pulled his utility belt out of the secret pocket in his torn sweater and retrieved a roll of bandages and medical tape from one of the compartments. Just like a bat – prepared for anything. As he began tending to the Speedster's injuries Artemis, desperate to be helpful, scoured the beach for some relatively straight sticks that they could use to brace Wally's knee. Neither the archer nor the Boy Wonder showed much concern for their own injuries until they were certain their Speedster was well taken care of.

From what Artemis could tell, Robin seemed so be alright. He had numerous cuts and bruises from the crash and by the blood that matted his hair, Artemis could guess he had a mild concussion himself, but she had seen her young teammate fight with far worse. What worried her more was the Boy Wonder's deliberate refusal to talk or to even look her in the eyes. He really did blame her for this.

 **"You should let me take a look at your ribs."** Robin finally stated after the silence had stretched on past what either of them were comfortable with. Artemis responded with a look of confusion before glancing down at her own blood-soaked shirt. With her panic for Wally and the shock of the crash, Artemis barely noticed the tearing pain in her side until her youngest teammate pointed it out. She gingerly lifted the edge of her tank top, grimacing as the bloody fabric stuck to the wound. The sight beneath almost made her sick: a sharp shard of shrapnel was buried into her side – not deep enough to cause any serious harm, but certainly enough to lose a dangerous amount of blood if not treated.

 **"Artemis! Why didn't you tell me?!"** Artemis wasn't sure whether to be annoyed that the Bird had found yet another reason to be angry with her, or relieved that he at least felt some concern for her after what happened. It probably looked a hell of a lot worse than it was, but damn, did it hurt! Artemis could hardly feel the gentle prodding of Robin's fingers above the pain that radiated from the wound. Despite their earlier fight, the little bird looked genuinely sorry as he painfully pulled the shard from her skin, cleansed the wound and began to stitch a neat, practiced line of sutures to close the tear. Once finished, he covered the wound with a fresh bandage and tucked the remnants of his medical supplies back into his utility belt, casting apologetic glances towards the archer as he did – all-the-while, Artemis kept her eyes fixed on Wally, repeating the words from their fight over and over in her troubled mind.

 **"I didn't mean to hurt him…"** She muttered, answered by a frustrated and guilt-ridden sigh from her youngest teammate.

 **"He's going to be fine Artemis. Once he gets some food, Wally…"**

 ** _"Special delivery!"_** Robin's words were dropped as soon as the chipper tone of their Martian comrade echoed through their minds. It wasn't long before the green-skinned ginger was landing back on the beach, levitating a pile of fresh Island fruit behind her.

 **"Alright M'gann!"** Robin cheered, looking a little more hopeful now that he had a way to help his best friend's recovery. Robin selected a couple of the softer fruits (a banana and some berries) that would be easier for the Speedster to eat at first, while Artemis helped prop their unconscious teammate up into a seated position and M'gann tried to psychically ease him into consciousness. None were happy about the groans and grimaces that contorted their wounded friend's face, but at least he was awake – if not entirely coherent.

 **"A-art…-tm's…"** Wally slurred, trying to fight through the pain enough to recognize who was holding him up. His emerald eyes looked frighteningly dazed, but Artemis saw it as a good sign that he was trying to speak.

 **"I'm right here Baywatch. You gotta do me a favour, ok? You gotta eat something, Wally."** The archer tried, allowing Robin to step forward with his selected fruit. The Speedster did his best to choke down a few of the berries, growing more alert with each bite – as if even the taste of food was building back some of his strength.

 **"That's it KF. There's more here when you're feeling up to it."** Robin assured him, grabbing another armful of the fruit M'gann had collected.

 **"I can gather more! I wanted to get this back to Wally as soon as possible, but there's lots of fruit in the forest!"** The Martian was eager to help, but Wally reached out his weary hand to stop her – seeming reluctant to let his friends out of his sight now that he was fully conscious.

 **"K-Kal? Con-..C-conner?"**

Artemis ran her fingers through the Speedster's blood-matted hair, trying to offer what little comfort she could. It was such a relief to hear his voice that she allowed herself to ignore the frightening weakness betrayed in his tone. Despite herself, Artemis scoffed and rolled her eyes at her downed teammate. Of course Kid-Compassion would be more worried about his two super-powered friends than about his own stubborn self! She had just opened her mouth to reassure her fallen comrade when a sharp, piercing sound through all her assurances into question.

Robin and M'gann were on their feet in seconds and Artemis' arms tightened protectively around Wally's shoulders as the gunshots – two…five…eight…at least a dozen shots – cut through the ambiance of the island, drawing all eyes towards the swirl of billowing smoke that rose from the crash site.

 **"Superboy!**

 **"M'gann wait!"** Robin called, unheeded, as Miss Martian took off in the direction of the shots, once again leaving Robin, Kid Flash, and Artemis alone on the beach, fearing for the lives of their Team.


	3. Not Alone - Aqualad

Kaldur'ahm – AKA Aqualad – January 21st, 2010 – 4:58pm

Twigs and branches cracked beneath Kaldur's bare feet as he ran, willing himself faster through the trees. Bullets soared passed the Atlantian, burying themselves in the dirt of the forest floor, reminding him of the severe consequences that awaited him should he allow his pace to falter. Of course, the deafening sound of the gunshots were far from reassuring, yet it was a relief that Kaldur had successfully drawn the attention away from his team. Superboy would recover from his injuries and rendezvous with the others back at the beach. He could ensure the rest of their Team found someplace safe to hide, so long as Kaldur could buy him enough time. As for the Atlantian, he was reasonably sure he could evade his pursuers with minimal injury. His thick, Atlantian skin was more resistant to their weaponry (perhaps not as resistant as Superboy, but far more than the humans or Martian on his Team) and he was one of the only protégés that could escape this situation without revealing his identity to those in pursuit. All he had to do was reach the ocean.

 **"He's heading up the cliff! Ha! We got 'im boys! The kid's run himself into a dead end!"** The voice called out behind Kaldur, causing a sick twist in the Atlantian's stomach as he realized how much pleasure these criminals were getting from hunting a mere teenager down like some wild animal! There was no hesitation in their shots, nor any mercy in their aim. These men would not be satisfied with surrender. Kaldur knew that even if he were to stop running and face his adversaries, these cruel humans would only spare him if it meant prolonging his pain.

A fierce heat spread across Kaldur's arm as one of the bullets struck their target and the Atlantian stumbled from the sudden pain. He was mere feet away from the edge of the forest and the cliff his adversaries had mentioned was finally within view. They were right – there was no easy escape from here. The path ahead narrowed, tapering off to leave Kaldur completely surrounded. The steep, jagged cliff offered no opportunity to climb down safely, and the crashing waves and unforgiving rocks below would prove fatal for any human who was bold enough to dive. Even to an Atlantian, the path ahead was daunting.

 **"You wanna live kid? Why don't you stop running and give yourself up? We got some questions for ya. Else, you might end up like your little friend back at the crash site! Ain't that right boys?"** the voice called out again, and Kaldur allowed himself to turn and face his pursuers. The man who spoke was vile, even in appearance. He was taller than Kaldur, with a fair amount of natural muscle hidden beneath a dirty, torn vest and ripped cargo pants. He had cropped hair and an unkempt array of stubble that did little to distract from the cruel smirk that crossed his face. The scars that stretched across his lip and covered the exposed skin of his chest and arms told of a violent past, but Kaldur could already tell this man's intentions by the assault rifle gripped firmly in his hands.

Kaldur took a tentative step backwards – his bare foot finding the edge of the cliff as the men closed in. Even with the pain from his arm, the fatigue from the crash and the chase, Kaldur knew he could put up a decent fight – probably take out at least four or five of the eight surrounding men before they took him down, but he couldn't take the risk. Fighting back now would reveal his identity as an Atlantian – a Superhero. The rest of his Team, still dressed in civvies and far too weary to protect themselves, would be exposed and Kaldur couldn't take that chance. M'gann, Conner, and Kaldur'ahm may have little to lose by being revealed, but Wally, Artemis, and Robin were only safe so long as their identities were kept secret. If they had any hope of a normal life once they returned from this island, their affiliation with the League must remain hidden.

 **"What's it gonna be kid? You gonna play nice or do we have ta send ya down with the fish?"** The grizzly-looking man asked, stepping in front of his pack with his fingers longingly stroking the trigger.

 **"I believe, I will take my chances with the fish."** Kaldur replied, capitalizing on the man's momentary surprise by diving off the edge of the cliff, into the treacherous waters below.

* * *

Kaldur'ahm – AKA Aqualad – January 21st, 2010 – 4:19 pm

Kaldur closed his eyes, allowing the soothing caress of the water to ease the pain of his burns. It had taken time, but he was able to find a small inland spring at the bae of the Island's tall peaks. This would provide the team with fresh drinking water, as well as a means to cleanse and tend to their injuries. The peak would offer a protective wall to shield them from the elements and offer a sturdy base for a shelter. Once the team was safe, well-rested, and tended to, Kaldur could scale the peak to see whether the additional altitude would allow them to send a transmission to the Justice League.

With his mission a success, Kaldur took a mere few moments to himself before contacting his other two wayward teammates about their own progress. He was anxious to see whether M'gann and Conner had found the food and supplies necessary to help Wally. Judging by Robin's uncharacteristically rash outburst and Artemis' blatant guilt regarding the Speedster's condition, Kaldur feared the only hope for a peaceful collaboration between the team was to get Wally back on his feet.

 _"Miss Martian, Superboy, report."_ Kaldur called through the mind-link, relieved that they had a method of communication that could not be hindered by whatever was blocking the other transmissions on this island.

 _"I salvaged few supplies. Not much. Almost everything burned."_ Conner curtly replied, but the strain of his tone suggested that the Kryptonian was still sifting through the heavy mangled metal from the bioship. M'gann's response held more reassurance.

 _"I found some fruit. We were lucky, this island seems pretty plentiful. I've got quite a bit already, but I can gather more?"_

 _"Negative. Miss Martian, take what you have and return to the beach. More can be gathered later as needed, but for now our priority is Kid Flash. Once he is stable, we will move him to…"_

 _"Conner?"_ Kaldur had no need to ask the reason for M'gann's interruption. He had felt it too – the wave of tension that wafted over the mind-link emphasized by the utter silence of Superboy's mind. Both waited anxiously for the Kryptonian's answer, not surprised to hear the caution in his tone.

 _"Someone's here. They have weapons."_ _What do I do?_ The unspoken question lingered in the air and Kaldur knew, as leader, this was a decision he must make on behalf of his team.

 _"This may be dangerous territory. The fact that they are armed does not necessarily make them dangerous… nor can we afford to assume they are friendly. Miss Martian, return to the beach with the food you have gathered. Superboy, stay hidden. Do not engage. I am on my way to you."_

Kaldur had hoped he could reach the Kryptonian and assess the situation before passing judgement on these strangers. If these people were willing, Kaldur could certainly use their help sparing his team. Everyone, excluding Conner, required medical attention and these people may have the means to contact their mentors and arrange for transportation off this island. That all depended on whether these strangers were friend of foe.

The sudden eruption of gunshots proved these were the latter.

Kaldur darted into the smoke-filled clearing in time to see Conner take three bullets to the chest and stumble to the ground behind the shell of the bioship. With the Kryptonian's impenetrable skin, Kaldur knew the fall was more from surprise than physical injury, but in order to protect their identities, their enemies needed to believe otherwise.

 **"Conner!"** Kaldur shouted in a panic, drawing the attention of the shooters away from his fallen ally.

 _"Superboy, play dead! I will draw these men away. Find the Team and get them somewhere safe!"_ The Atlantian added through the mental link, relieved to see that Conner was going to take his orders without dispute. As the ebony collapsed motionlessly to the ground, the shooters turned towards their next victim, giving Kaldur the chance to play up his fearful act and dart away from the crash site. Just as he expected, the men began their pursuit, leaving Conner with an opportunity to escape. His Team would be safe in the Kryptonian's hands; now all Kaldur needed was a way to lose his tail.

* * *

Kaldur'ahm – AKA Aqualad – January 21st, 2010 – 5:15pm

The force of hitting the water from such a height felt as though Kaldur had struck concrete. His body ached from the impact and the salty-seawater bit at his open wounds, but Kaldur couldn't deny his relief at being back in his element. The zip of several bullets surged past him and the Atlantian knew his pursuers wouldn't be satisfied without proof of his death. Fortunately, the blood from his arm stained the water with a sickly crimson, and Kaldur kept himself submerged far longer than any human would be able to survive. Eventually the bullets stopped, giving Aqualad the confidence to leave the site unseen. He kept to the depths as he swam back towards the beach where his friends were waiting, and couldn't help the smile of relief from gracing his face as the voices of his concerned teammates filtered through his mental link.

 _"Where is he?"_

 _"Kaldur?"_

 _"Aqualad, can you hear us?"_

 _"They stopped shooting… you don't think…?"_

 **"Peace, my friends. I am fine."** Kaldur interrupted their anxious questions as he pulled himself out of the ocean waters and stepped out onto the sand. He was greeted with a concerned arm around his shoulders and a barrage of inquiries – what happened, was he alright, how did he escape, were they in danger, what was their next move – all of which the Atlantian silenced by raising his hand.

 **"We will discuss this matter as soon as we are safe. Those men may be combing the beaches in search of survivors. I found a secure location a few kilometers north of here. There, we shall regroup and plan our next move."**

Kaldur gave his orders, pleased to see that though the crash had taken its toll on the Team, it did not impair their ability to work together. Superboy carried the barely conscious Speedster, while Miss Martian focused her telekinetic abilities to stabilize Kid Flash's injured leg as much as possible. Robin and Artemis seemed to have put their differences aside for the time being, and were supporting each other through the hike, leaving Kaldur free to lead the way and see to his own injured arm. Guiding his Team, Kaldur focused on keeping his composure so as not to alert the others to the gravity of their situation, but he was not without his own internal fears.

The Team was stranded, injured, and exhausted on an unfamiliar island. They had few supplies, no direct method of leaving the island and no means to call for aid. Aside from the ongoing struggles of building shelter, gathering food, tending to injuries, and keeping the group rested and hydrated, they must also keep a constant vigilance of their surroundings. They knew not what unfriendly beasts may inhabit the surrounding forests, but were very aware of the sadistic villains that actively hunted the survivors. The Team, as weary as they were, was forced to work together to defend from these unkindly men, while maintaining their civilian identities to prevent further consequences when… and if… they ever made it home.

Kaldur'ahm was not typically one for pessimism, but considering their current situation… _I am ashamed to say, I fear for us all._


End file.
